Research
It all started when I began a new art project inspired by the patterns I’ve seen my entire life. As I sketched and explored ideas, I realized something important: I had no idea what the linework I was creating actually meant, or if it even had meaning at all. Wanting to honor those who came before me and the rich heritage of my people, I turned to the first place I knew—Google.
I found incredible resources like hmongembroidery.org, the Hmong Cultural Center, and the Hmong Museum. But even then, the meaning behind the textiles still felt out of reach. That’s when I discovered the book Hmong Reverse Appliqué: Cultural Meaning and Significance by Lisa Gerdner. It was full of rich insight and detailed research, but one major challenge stood out. It wasn’t accessible. The information flew past me. If I was struggling to absorb it, how could I expect my mother or my aunt to understand it?
The book was an amazing scholarly resource, but it wasn’t something I could use easily without constantly referring back to it. That’s when I decided to start collecting everything I was learning from all these incredible sources and turn it into something simple, clear, and usable. That was the start of the Hmong Pattern Library.
This work is informed by resources from:
hmongembroidery.org written by Xai S. Lor, Hmong Cultural Center
Hmong Reverse Appliqué: Cultural Meaning and Significance by Lisa Gerdner
Conversations with my family, especially my mother, Mai Chou Vang
Kev Tshawb Fawb
Txhua yam pib thaum kuv ua ib qho hauj lwm tshiab uas cuam tshuam nrog cov duab paj ntaub uas kuv niaj hnub pom hauv kuv lub neej. Thaum kuv pib kos duab thiab xav tswv yim, kuv cias li ras dheev txog ib yam tseem ceeb: kuv tsis paub tias lub ntsiab ntawm cov duab uas kuv kos yog dab tsi li. Vim kuv xav hwm cov uas tau ua ntej kuv thiab kuv haiv neeg ntiag tug, kuv thiaj li mus tshawb thawj qho chaw uas kuv paub—Google.
Kuv nrhiav tau ib co peev txheej zoo kawg nkaus xws li hmongembroidery.org, lub Hmong Cultural Center (Tsev Khaws Hmoob Kab Lig Kev Cai), thiab lub Hmoob Museum (Tsev Khaws Hmoob Qub Txheej Qub Teg). Txawm li ntawd los zoo li tseem ncav tsis cuag lub ntsiab ntawm cov duab paj ntaub li. Ces kuv mam nrhiav tau ib phau ntawv hu tias Hmong Reverse Appliqué: Cultural Meaning and Significance sau los ntawm Lisa Gerdner. Nws muaj kev qhia tsim nuj ntau heev thiab qhov kev tshawb fawb tob kawg nkaus, tiam sis muaj ib qho teeb meem loj kawg uas kuv pom. Nws yog ib yam uas nyuaj heev rau sawv daws siv. Yog hais tias kuv twb tau taub nyuaj kawg nkaus, kuv niam los kuv tus phauj yuav tau taub li cas?
Phau ntawv yog ib qho peev txheej qib siab uas zoo kawg nkaus, tab sis nws tsis yog ib yam uas kuv yuav siv tau yooj yim yam tsis tas rov qab mus saib nws txhua zaus li. Vim li ntawd kuv thiaj pib khaws txhua yam uas kuv kawm tau los ntawm tag nrho cov chaw kawm no thiab muab rais mus ua ib yam nkag siab thiab siv tau yooj yim. No yog lub keeb ntawm Hmong Pattern Library.
Cov kev txawj ntse ntawm qhov hauj lwm no yog los ntawm:
hmongembroidery.org sau los ntawm Xai S. Lor, Hmong Cultural Center
Hmong Reverse Appliqué: Cultural Meaning and Significance sau los ntawm Lisa Gerdner
Kev sib tham nrog kuv tsev neeg, tshwj xeeb yog kuv niam, Mai Chou Vang (Maiv Tsu Vaj)